[Karsa Orlong]

Hey folks!

So I have, after watching Carnival Row, a mind to read some gunpowder fantasy. And the first two series I found were Brian McClellan's Powder Mage series and Django Wexler's The Shadow Campaigns.
If you have read them, can you tell me if this is worth my while? And what did you like about them?

If you think "Hell no, if you want to read awesome gunpowder fantasy you have to read ... " feel free to recommend your favorite entry into this subgenre. If you do, please tell me why it's good (better than the two i mentioned).

Thanks in advance!

[Cause]

Shadow campaigns

Powder mage trilogy just felt pointless when I was finished with it.

[Karsa Orlong]

Hey Cause, long time no "see"!
Good to see some of the old guard are still around

Care to elaborate a bit? No spoilers, of course. But what did you like with those two series? What did Wexler do better than McClellan? Or is it just the ending that spoiled Powder Mage (no spoilers!) for you?

[Macros]

I'm gonna give the opposite.

PowderMage for me.

I loved shadow campaigns, don't get me wrong, but the ending didn't fully land for me. And Powder Mate trilo is just tighter writing (for me) and also gives you a window into a few ace novellas and into his next series, the first of which was fucking ace and gives you the mad lancers

[Chance]

Both series are entertaining and both have problems with the ending I think. Shadow Campaigns has problems for at least two books while Powder Mage has problems with certain events in the last book. All in all I prefere the "deus ex machinaish" plotting in McClellans writing to the adversary Wexler introduces in Guns of the Empire and which dominates two books.

The powder mage series is also the better written of the two but that isn't saying too much as both series are basically popcorn action and not heavy weight fantasy. There are really better books out there that do very similiar things but aren't gunpowder fantasy but both series have awesome moments and are quite enjoyable even with a few flaws.

In the end I might re-read the powder mage trilogy but is more doubtful I will re-read shadow campaigns.

This post has been edited by Chance: 22 September 2019 - 09:14 PM

[Macros]

This.

I'd reread the first few shadow, but not the final for sure, felt badly managed on some level.

I would easily reread PowderMage, when I get time
Sometime.

Plus it's a gateway into his next series which starts off excellently

[Abyss]

...or you could read the KETTY JAY series, which will fulfill your need for guns in fantasy along with pirates, fighter jets, demons...

[Morgoth]

Karsa Orlong, on 21 September 2019 - 05:04 PM, said:

Hey folks!

So I have, after watching Carnival Row, a mind to read some gunpowder fantasy. And the first two series I found were Brian McClellan's Powder Mage series and Django Wexler's The Shadow Campaigns.
If you have read them, can you tell me if this is worth my while? And what did you like about them?

If you think "Hell no, if you want to read awesome gunpowder fantasy you have to read ... " feel free to recommend your favorite entry into this subgenre. If you do, please tell me why it's good (better than the two i mentioned).

Thanks in advance!

A third option is Miles Cameron's Masters and Mages series. Muskets and cannons and sorcery.

[Chance]

Morgoth, on 24 September 2019 - 06:56 AM, said:

A third option is Miles Cameron's Masters and Mages series. Muskets and cannons and sorcery.

It is stronger then either but not finished which might be a downside Of course the powder mage trilogy is a trilogy my ass...as the second series is more or less books 4,5 and so on in the trilogy.

This post has been edited by Chance: 24 September 2019 - 05:17 PM

[HoosierDaddy]

Enjoyed both. Like Powdermage more.

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 22 September 2019 - 09:59 AM, said:

I'm gonna give the opposite.

PowderMage for me.

I loved shadow campaigns, don't get me wrong, but the ending didn't fully land for me. And Powder Mate trilo is just tighter writing (for me) and also gives you a window into a few ace novellas and into his next series, the first of which was fucking ace and gives you the mad lancers

I gotta say I agree with Mac across the board here. McLellan is a great author with a really solid Sanderson-like voice. Aside from some really minor complaints, I thought it ended very strongly.

Abyss, on 23 September 2019 - 02:57 PM, said:

...or you could read the KETTY JAY series, which will fulfill your need for guns in fantasy along with pirates, fighter jets, demons...

Man, I could NOT get into that one. Tried multiple times and fell flat for me each time.

[Macros]

Morgoth, on 24 September 2019 - 06:56 AM, said:

Karsa Orlong, on 21 September 2019 - 05:04 PM, said:

Hey folks!

So I have, after watching Carnival Row, a mind to read some gunpowder fantasy. And the first two series I found were Brian McClellan's Powder Mage series and Django Wexler's The Shadow Campaigns.
If you have read them, can you tell me if this is worth my while? And what did you like about them?

If you think "Hell no, if you want to read awesome gunpowder fantasy you have to read ... " feel free to recommend your favorite entry into this subgenre. If you do, please tell me why it's good (better than the two i mentioned).

Thanks in advance!

A third option is Miles Cameron's Masters and Mages series. Muskets and cannons and sorcery.

What is this and do I need to expand my TRP??

[Morgoth]

Macros, on 24 September 2019 - 06:47 PM, said:

Morgoth, on 24 September 2019 - 06:56 AM, said:

Karsa Orlong, on 21 September 2019 - 05:04 PM, said:

Hey folks!

So I have, after watching Carnival Row, a mind to read some gunpowder fantasy. And the first two series I found were Brian McClellan's Powder Mage series and Django Wexler's The Shadow Campaigns.
If you have read them, can you tell me if this is worth my while? And what did you like about them?

If you think "Hell no, if you want to read awesome gunpowder fantasy you have to read ... " feel free to recommend your favorite entry into this subgenre. If you do, please tell me why it's good (better than the two i mentioned).

Thanks in advance!

A third option is Miles Cameron's Masters and Mages series. Muskets and cannons and sorcery.

What is this and do I need to expand my TRP??

I suspect so. It is an entertaining read, though I did like his previous series better.

[acesn8s]

Powder Mage has tons of action. The main characters have abilities that support near constant battles.

Shadow Campaigns has less action and more ... characters are pawns on a chessboard feel to it.

[Chance]

Macros, on 24 September 2019 - 06:47 PM, said:

Morgoth, on 24 September 2019 - 06:56 AM, said:

A third option is Miles Cameron's Masters and Mages series. Muskets and cannons and sorcery.

What is this and do I need to expand my TRP??

Its weaker then Camerons Traitors Son series so far at least.

But it is pretty decent so far with a bit of magic school, duels and politics set in a kind of fantasy Byzantium. There is also a healthy amount of battles and soldiering in especially the second book which include gunpowder but I'd say it is more about magic then powder.

They are rather fun and easy reads.

Anyone read anything else of Camerons? I'm tempted sometimes but haven't tried yet.

This post has been edited by Chance: 25 September 2019 - 01:12 PM

[Cause]

I loved Masters and Mages, couldnt put it down. However it has a very strange feel to it. The main character just does everything, always in the right place right time, everything just works out for him, the plot advances as needed. I loved the story, enjoyed the writing and plan to continue but when book one was done I stopped and just wondered what it was I had just read.

[Macros]

He writes under another name as well AFAIK, can't recall off the top of my head.

[Macros]

Yah, Miles Cameron is a pseudonym for Christian Cameron. I've read the first three books of the Long War saga, which covers the Greek city states on the build up to, during and past Marathon etc, from the perspective of a lesser name (Arimnestous, spelling incorrect). They were solid enough, sometimes the POV would jar me, it's told in first person as the protagonist sitting in a great ha as an old man retailing youngsters with his youth. Occasionally it will jump out of the narrative to him requesting another drink or teasing his daughter. Once you get used to that it's good enough fare. Baring in mind my love of this time period, may colour my review.

[Karsa Orlong]

Thank you all for your feedback!
I guess I will start with PM then.

Miles Cameron was already in my "have to take a look" file with his Traitor's Son series, but in that case I will also take a look at his new series. So thanks for bringing that up! And feel free to mention other fitting series (especially if you think those are better than the two compared here)!

[End of Disc One]

I'm on the second Shadow Campaigns book right now, and I've read all of the Powder Mage universe. They're both pretty fast and easy to read, free of too many author quirks that I've noticed. Shadow Campaigns feels more grounded. But at this point I'd give the edge to Powder Mage, especially with the second trilogy.

This post has been edited by End of Disc One: 25 September 2019 - 06:48 PM